IPP scandal: Call for free vote on bill to end ‘living nightmare’ of indefinite jail terms

Lord Blunkett and the chair of Prison Officers Association have backed a private member’s bill for almost 3,000 IPP prisoners to be resentenced

A private member’s bill has been introduced to resentence IPP prisoners (Getty)

A peer has called for a free vote on a new bill to end the “living nightmare” of indefinite jail terms by resentencing all IPP prisoners.

Lord Woodley has introduced a private member’s bill to help prisoners trapped under an abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence with no hope of release.

The Labour peer branded the jail terms “torture sentences” and said keeping almost 3,000 prisoners locked up under an abolished jail term in the midst of a prison overcrowding crisis “makes no sense at all”.

The bill comes after The Independent has repeatedly called for all IPP prisoners to have their sentences reviewed.

It has already been backed by the architect of the flawed sentence, Lord Blunkett, the chair of the Prison Officers Association and campaigners.

It comes amid growing pressure on the government to resentence IPP prisoners after at least 90 inmates have taken their own lives under the jail term, which has been branded “psychological torture” by the UN.

In 2022, the cross-party justice select committee urged the then-Tory government to resentence all IPP prisoners, but this was rejected.

David Blunkett is backing the resentencing bill for IPP prisoners (PA)

Lord Woodley told The Independent: “There’s wide support for my bill from across parliament and, deep down, everyone knows that resentencing is the only way ultimately to resolve this terrible miscarriage of justice, as parliament’s own justice select committee made clear.

“And in the midst of an appalling prison overcrowding crisis, having almost 3,000 people locked up on IPPs with no end in sight makes absolutely no sense at all.

“This is a problem created by parliament, and it should be up to parliament to fix it – ideally with a free vote so parliamentarians can vote with their consciences.”

IPP jail terms were introduced under New Labour in 2005 and saw offenders given a minimum tariff but no maximum. They were scrapped in 2012 amid human rights concerns, but not for people already detained.

Of 2,734 remaining IPP prisoners, more than 700 have served more than 10 years longer than their minimum tariff.

These include tragic injustices highlighted by The Independent such as those of Thomas White, who set himself alight after serving more than 12 years for stealing a mobile phone, and Abdullahi Suleman, who has spent 19 years behind bars for a laptop robbery.

Yusuf Ali has twice starved himself in desperation after serving 16 years after being handed a three-year minimum tariff.

IPP prisoner Thomas White with his son Kayden, aged just 10 months (Margaret White)

“I understand the concerns about public protection, but the state is able to put measures in place to manage any risk effectively, and a civilised society doesn’t lock up people for life for stealing a mobile phone,” Lord Woodley added.

“At the end of the day, the government will respond to public pressure, so the more people who are outraged by these appalling torture sentences, the more likely it is the government will act decisively and end this living nightmare.”

Lord Blunkett, who admits he regrets introducing the jail terms as home secretary under Tony Blair, said: “I’m really pleased that Lord Woodley has chosen to present a private member’s bill which gives yet another opportunity to raise the plight of those who, in particular, have never been released following their original sentence for imprisonment for public protection.

“This will allow us to both support the new government in implementing the measures agreed on the eve of calling the general election back in May, and to explore other possibilities for genuine progression.”

Mark Fairhurst, national chair at the Prison Officers Association, also backed the resentencing bill, warning: “No civilised society should allow this wrongdoing to continue.”

He added: “Now is the time to enact the recommendations from the justice select committee and initiate a resentencing exercise for those prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection.

“In effect, this cohort of prisoners have served a life sentence without a release date. We need to correct this injustice.”

IPP prisoner Yusuf Ali, now 50, has been driven to hunger strikes as he loses hope of ever being freed (Jacqueline Ali)

Their calls come as thousands of other prisoners are set to be released in a scheme starting this week after serving just 40 per cent of their sentences in a bid to ease prison overcrowding.

However campaigners say addressing the IPP injustice could empty up to four entire adult prisons.

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, added: “Even if the government sorts out the short-term prison capacity, they still face further capacity pressures in the coming few years.

“Resentencing all those subject to the IPP sentence will go some way to heading off the medium-term prison capacity crisis that is headed the government’s way.”

Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood last week announced a planned reduction to the IPP licence period from 10 to three years will be introduced in a phased approach from 1 November.

“I want to make progress towards a safe and sustainable release for those serving the IPP sentence, but not in a way that impacts public protection,” she said. “Commencing these measures is the first step in doing so.

“I will continue to monitor progress in this area, and the government plans to consult expert organisations to ensure the right course of action is taken to support those serving IPP sentences.”